Hello everyone, my name is Jeya Praveen Nair.

I was born in the year of 1994, that makes me

now 23 years old. I’m an ex STPM and Diploma student, don’t get confuse easily there’s a story
behind that. My title for this article is ‘LIFE IS A JOURNEY’ . The reason this title came to me is because
in LIFE there is always ups and down’s. I’m not the top student in my class nor the weakest. After
finishing my SPM in 2011 with only 2 A’s in my hand, I applied UPU to further my studies in Diploma .
Sadly I didn’t get any seat at that time. With an moderate family income I have no option left so I
pursue my studies in STPM. Knowing the difficulty of STPM in science stream I decided to gave it a
shot, also my batch was the first batch to have STPM in semester system. It was 2012, during STPM I
had a group of friends called 10 little Indians like the song which consists of 10 Indian boys. My first
semester in STPM I did in Kluang, Johor. During that time life was hard for me because after my SPM
my parents shifted to Kulai and my school is in Kluang an hour drive away from Kulai. So my dad ask
me to stay with my family doctor in Kluang. With only a month staying there my family doctor asked
me to stay some place else because they have their own family problem of them self and they did
want me to be a part of it. With only a few hours given time I have to move out from there my mind
was blank not knowing where else to go. My friend came to the rescue he asked me to crash in with
him. He lived in a temple so I decided to move in with him. Traveling was hard because it takes 45
minutes to my school by bike I have to wake up as early as 6am. Sleeping was uneasy in the temple
with just a inch thick mattress and mosquitoes was everywhere. By the end of my first semester my
pointer was 0.00, not joking you can check my results. I failed in every subjects because I was not
studying, playing a lot didn’t take studies seriously and my girl friend left me with some other guy
because she is a play girl. So the moment I received my results I just wanted to stop my STPM, but my
parents ask me to continue until the end they said its just my first semester the next semester you
can improve, despite not knowing what I went trough. Eventually they sent me off to Teluk Intan,
Perak at my grandmother’s house to do my STPM there for my second semester. My second semester
was year 2013, so I start up as a fresh new year for me. During my second semester the total number
of students is 7 including me. Six Chinese and I’m the only Indian guy, not knowing their language it
was hard to communicate with them often and at times I just sit alone by my self. By the end of year
2013 with second semester result is 1.1 and third semester is 0.9 my final result is 1.4 CGPA. STPM
was a total nightmare for me. At the same year I got a chance to further my studies in Diploma where
else all my other friends have started their degree. I felt frustrated at that time because I was left
behind, just wasted 2 years of my life. But I did not gave up so I moved on and completed my Diploma
in 2016 with a CGPA of 3.2 and I felt great. Even then my mind keeps thinking at the age of 22 I’ve
completed my diploma and my friends have completed their Degree and some have even start
working. So at times I began to wonder why is it always me? What’s the difference with me and my
friends? What is God trying to teach me? Am I going in the right path? All of these questions pops in
my head thinking and thinking. Despite all that I take it positive and move forward and forget the past.
Past is just a lesson for me which teaches me whats next in my life. August 2017 I was accepted to
pursue my Degree in UTHM. In my offer letter the duration of my studies is 4 years but since I did my
Diploma I hope I’ll finish in 3 years time, when I’m 27 and start my work when I’m 28. So to think
again by the year 2020 I’ll graduate where as my friends will have a working experience of 5 years
with a high salary and me just a fresh graduate with a basic income. Before I received the news to
further my studies in Degree I was having a long thought about LIFE. To me life is a Journey things
happen for a reason for everyone, some happens to them in early stage and some after some time.
But it’s all up to us to keep fighting no matter what comes at you.

‘LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING YOU ALREADY KNOW THE WORLD AIN’T NO SUNSHINE AND
RAINBOWS ITS A VERY MEAN AND NASTY PLACE AND I DON’T CARE HOW TOUGH YOU ARE IT WILL
BEAT YOU TO YOUR KNEES AND KEEP YOU THERE PERMANENTLY IF YOU LET IT. YOU BE A NOBODY
ITS GOING TO HIT AS HARD IN LIFE BUT IT AIN’T ABOUT HOW HARD YOU HIT ITS ABOUT HOW
HARD YOU CAN GET HIT AND KEEP MOVING FORWARD AND HOW MUCH YOU CAN TAKE AND KEEP
MOVING FORWARD THAT’S HOW IT IS DONE.’

By Sylvester Stallone

These are words that truly fired up me to where I am today. A day before I join my degree my dad
told me that remember the past and look where it has brought you up now, take it as a positive side.
Despite those who finished STPM or Matriks you have an advantage for finishing Diploma because
what you learn in Diploma is almost the same as Degree. With this I keep telling to my self that by the
end of my Degree I will obtain a First Class Degree in my hand. For those who are in my situation or
more or less the same difficult situation don’t put your self down time is there for everyone.

Let me give you a situation:

A. A guy finish his studies on time and start working at the age of 23 and becoming a CEO at the age
of 30 with full of success and retiring by the age of 55 and live up to 60 or

B. A guy finish his studies at the age of 27 and becoming CEO at the age of 55 and lived up to 90

Which is better?

LIFE IS HARD BUT IT’S UP TO YOU TO MAKE IT THE BEST TROUGH OUT THE JOURNEY